ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍËÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º ÛßßßÛ ÛßßßÛ ÛßßßÛ ÛßßßÛ ßßÛßß ÛßßßÛ ÛßßßÜ Ûßßßß ÛßßßÛ ßßÛßß º Issue VI º º ÛÜÜÜÜ ÛÜÜÜÛ Û Û ÛÜÜÜÛ Û ÛÜÜÜÜ ÛÜÜÜß ÛÜÜÜ ÛÜÜÜÛ Û º March 1994 º º Ü Û Û Û Û Û ßÜ Û Ü Û Û Û Û Û Û Û º Written by º º ßßßßß ß ßßßßß ß ß ß ßßßßß ßßßß ßßßßß ß ß ß º D.P. McIntire º ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÊÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͹ º SPORTSBEAT is a magazine distributed via the shareware marketing concept. º º If you find it worthy, please send a registration of $ 3.00 to: D.P. º º McIntire ù P.O. Box 52084 ù Raleigh, NC 27612-2084. º º º º SPORTSBEAT may be freely distributed via CBBS, the Internet, FidoNet, or º º similar networks. CBBS operators may place it online as a bulletin or door º º or other means. SPORTSBEAT may also be distributed via CD-ROM diskette. º º All other methods of distribution are considered violations of copyrights º º and will be prosecuted accordingly. º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º TABLE OF CONTENTS. º º (1) Michael Jordan playing baseball? Nah... º º (2) The Milwaukee Brewers new logo... it sucks. º º (3) Gibbs won't prowl with Panthers. º º (4) Boxing's Heavyweight Division: Who's really the best? º º (5) Short issue, I know... º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º MICHAEL JORDAN PLAYING BASEBALL? NAH... º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Michael Jordan has signed with the Chicago White Sox, after retiring from the Chicago Bulls basketball club. The ChiSox management feels that Jordan is capable of becoming a major league calibre player, and have already assigned him to their AAA affiliate in Nasvhille. Jordan, now 31 years old, has become a media circus yet again, less than four months after saying that he wanted to bow out of the spotlight. He wants to learn to hit the curve ball, the slider, and the split-finger fastball. Most give Jordan a 1,000,000:1 shot at making the majors. The White Sox and Jordan aren't dealing with the mega-millions that the Bulls dealt with, but the Sox are looking forward to bolstering their minor league operation in Nashville with Jordan's presence. Let's get serious. Jordan's odds of making it to the majors are somewhere about even with mine. I'd like to see him make it, but realistically he doesn't have a prayer - Michael Jordan: He's no Bo. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS NEW LOGO: IT SUCKS. º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ The Milwaukee Brewers used to have one of the best logos in baseball - a baseball in the center of a glove, the fingers of the glove making the outline of an "M", with the rest of the glove making up a "B". It was so inconspicuous that I myself didn't catch it until about 4 years ago. Now, they've goofed. The Brew Crew have changed their logo, this time to some diamond shape with capital "M"'s and "B"'s and a couple of baseball bats. It's one of the most hideous things I've ever seen. Take a look at it, it's sad. The Detroit Tigers have also changed their logo, but only slightly; the Pittsburgh Pirates changed theirs eight years ago, and it was an improvement. But in Milwaukee, the "New Brew Crew" logo just, well, sucks. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º GIBBS WON'T PROWL WITH PANTHERS. º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Joe Gibbs says that his days of 100-hour work weeks, studying film reel after film reel, and sleeping in cots at training camp instead of going home are over. The former Washington Redskins head coach has turned down the offer of the NFL expansion Carolina Panthers to become their first head coach (and most say a team GM or Vice President as well), in order to continue his job as an analyst for NBC, and to spend time with his family. Although I now live in the Carolinas, and am very disappointed in some ways that Joe Gibbs won't be prowling the sidelines, I say "Bravo" to Joe Gibbs. Gibbs decided that his family was more important than X's and O's. That a chance to build a team from the ground up into a Super Bowl contender just wasn't as big a deal as watching his son's sports activities in college. He decided that family was more important than football - he made the right choice. Bravo. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º BOXING'S HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION: WHO'S REALLY THE BEST? º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Boxing is a bizarre sport in many aspects. With the plethora of sanctioning bodies about (World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation, and World Boxing Organization are just four), and now with nearly two dozen different weight classifications, the possibilities for being a champion are nearly limitless. In the heavyweight division, forever considered the people's champion, the title is once again split between WBA and IBF champion Evander Holyfield and WBC title holder Lennox Lewis of Great Britain. The question is: is either of them the cream of the crop? Holyfield, now in his thirties, has fought 24 grueling rounds with Riddick Bowe, but other than that hasn't had any solid bouts against name challengers. Lewis himself has had his share of troubles, being manhandled by the likes of Frank Bruno (isn't it time Bruno gave it up?) before recording a one-punch knockout the likes of which I haven't seen in years. There are others out there who are considered contenders for the title, among them Tommy Morrison (who was the WBO's heavyweight kingpin until he was knocked on his duff by a no-name), Michael Moorer, former undisputed (actually, the last undisputed) champion Riddick Bowe, Herbie Hide, and a few others as well. Who is the best? My vote doesn't go to Holyfield, if for no other reason than I believe he should have beaten Bowe in their first encounter. It doesn't go to Lewis, primarily because of the Frank Bruno bout. Tommy Morrison? I liked him in Rocky V, and he's got two dynamite fists, but he's also got a jaw with as much glass as a chandelier, so scratch him. Riddick Bowe? Perhaps he hasn't yet reached his prime, so a return to the title is a real possibility, but he isn't a people's champion: he literally threw his WBC belt in a trash can after a dispute over a mandatory defense requirement. Hide? Who is he? I have never seen him fight, so I have no opinion. Right now in my opinion, Michael Moorer appears to be the best of the heavyweight class. The former WBO champion has his eyes on the WBA and IBF titles, as he will fight Evander Holyfield in a mandatory bout later this year. I expect Moorer to defeat Holyfield, probably in a decision. Another reason I like Moorer is that he has already said that if he wins the title, his first priority will be to re-unify the title by fighting Lennox Lewis. I admire that. Should he beat Holyfield a rematch could be worth millions, but a unified title to him is more important - and it is to me as well. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º SHORT ISSUE, I KNOW... º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Yes, I know that this issue of SportsBeat was rather brief. I didn't want to touch on the recently concluded Harding-Kerrigan, ehr, Olympic Games, as that's pretty much been done to death by now. Now I fondly await next month, and the start of baseball season. I'll probably put my picks to win the six divisions, the wild-cards, and the World Series together and write them for the world to see... and laugh at. I've got to dig out that book with the new divisional alignments one of these days... see ya! - end -